Electrical connection means



June 27, 1939. H. A. DOUGLAS ELECTRICAL CONNECTION MEANS Filed June 10,1935 f Hi zrs M Patented June 27, 1939 PATENT OFFICE 2,164,203ELECTRICAL CONNECTION MEANS Harry -A. Douglas, Bronson,

Micla, assignor to Kingston Products Corporation, a corporation ofIndiana Application June 10, 1935, Serial No. 25,715

12 Claims.

My invention relates to electrical connection means and may be embodiedin terminal posts adapted for the reception of conductor terminals. Inits more specific aspects my invention 5 relates to terminal postsimounted or mountable on a support, and more particularly to terminalposts adapted for the reception of plug conductor terminals of the snap.type. The principal object of my invention is to provide new and loimproved electrical connection means of these types. In the drawingaccompanying this specification and forming apart of this application,I- have shown for purposes of illustration, several forms which myinvention may assume, and it in this drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a terminal post mounted on a base,embodying my invention,

Figure 2 is avertical sectional view of the construction shown in Figure1, enlarged, the section being taken transverse to the longitudinalextent of the base. Figure 2 also includes, in addition, a plugconductor terminal of the snap type cooperable with the terminal post,

2 Figure 3 is a perspective view of the terminal post shown in Figure 1,viewed from a different angle, and before the post is assembled with oneof the elements of the base, the element of the base with which the postis to be assembled being fragmentarily shown in perspective,

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in thedirection of the arrows,

Figure 5 is a perspective view analogous to Figure 3, but showinganother embodiment of my 35 invention, and

Figure 6 is a sectional view, analogous to Figure 4, but embodying thecorresponding elements of Figure 5.

Referring to the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figures 1through 4, a terminal post I is mounted on a base 'II. The terminal postis here shown as having a solid metallic body portion l2 of generallyoblong rectangular crosssection, having oppositely disposedlongitudinally 45 extending wider faces l3, l4 and oppositelongitudinally extending narrower faces I5, H at right angles to thefaces l3, H. The body portion 12 is here shown as provided with two plugconductor terminal receiving transverse apertures l1, l8, which may beformed by drilling through the body [2 from one of the wider faces l3, Ithrough the other. The'upper end of the terminalpost ID, as viewed inFigures 1 and 2, is frustro-conical and is provided with a chamber isadapted to receive a detent means 20.

The chamber l9, proper, may be formed by a longitudinal bore 2| which isput into communication with the upper transverse aperture I! by means ofa communicating bore 22 of lesser diameter than the bore 2| ofthechamber proper. 5

The detent means 20 is here shown as comprising a generallyhemispherical portion 23 adapted to extend freely through thecommunicating bore 22 into the transverse aperture IT. The detent means20 is provided with an annular flange 1o 24 adapted to be seated on ashoulder 25 formed at the end of the bore 2|. The detent means 20 isbiased to the position shown in Figure 2 by means of a helical spring26, disposed in the bore 2|, one end of which bears against the annularflange 24 and the other end of which bears against an abutment 21formed, in this instance, by closing inwardly the metal surrounding theupper end of the bore 2| of the chamber l9. The detent means is hereshown as go including an integral shank 28 disposed within. the helicalspring 26 and serving to guide the detent means 20 for longitudinalmovement in cooperation with the spring 26 and the bore 2|. The lowerend of the terminal post III is also provided with a chamber 29, similarto the chamber 19, adapted to receive detent means 30, the upper end ofthe chamber 29 being in communication with the lower transverse aperturel8 through a communicating bore 3|, similar to the 30 bore '22. Thedetent means 30 is shown as identical with the upper detent means 20,except, of course, that the hemispherical portion of the lower detentmeans 30 extends upwardly into the lower transverse aperture l8. Thelower detent chamber 29 may be formed by drilling a longitudinal bore 22into the lower end of the body portion l2 of the terminal post Ill. Thelower end of the post III has its four. corners 33 rounded offconcentric with the bore 0 32. The diameter of the cylindrical surfacedefined by the rounded corners 33 is in this instance somewhat greaterthan the distance between the wider opposite sides 13, ll of the bodyportion l2, thereby leaving flat surfaces 34, 35, and forming fourshoulders 36. Oppositely disposed longitudinally extending tongues 31,38 are here shown as formed by cutting a slot 39 diametrically acrossthe lower end of the body portion, the slot extending axially from thelower end of the post to the shoulders 36 and transversely across thebody portion parallel to the wider faces l3, ll of the body portion l2.The slot 35 is here shown as of somewhat less width than the diameter ofthe longitudinal bore 32, u

thereby leaving arcuate portions 45, 4i of the bore 82 on the radiallyinner surfaces of the tongues 81, 88. The ends of the tongues may havetheir outer edges 42, 48 beveled oil to form fragmentary generallyconical surfaces, concentrio with the bore 82.

The tongues 81, 88 are adapted to be disposed through a non-circularaperture 44 in a plate 45, here shown as of insulating material. Theaperture 44 in the plate 45 has diametrically opposite segmental parts45, 48 of arcuate outline, the circle defined by these segmental parts45, 48 desirably being of a diameter such as to snugly fit the arcuatesurfaces of the corners 88 of the tongues 81, 88. The aperture 44 in theplate 45 is desirably provided with diametrically opposite radiallyinwardly extending pro- Jectlons 41, 48 having arcuate radially innerends, the width of the projections 41, 48 being such that theseprojections are adapted to be disposed between the inner ilat faceportions of the tongues 81, 88 formed by the slot 88.

In assembling the terminal post I. with the plate 45, the tongues 81, 58are inserted into the segmental parts 45, 45 of the aperture 44 in theplate 45, the projections 41, 48 and also the shoulders 85 limiting theinsertion of the tongues through the aperture. The ends of the tongues81, 88 are then spread radially outwardly, as by bending, pressing,spinning, or in any other suitable manner, until the spread portionsform feet 45, 55, the tops of which are in tight contact with the undersurface of the plate 45, as viewed in Figure 2, thereby tightly mountingthe post l8 on the plate 45. The feet 45, 55 may be worked to arcuateform, concentric with the bore 82, as may be seen in Figure 4.

When the post III has been mounted on the plate 45, the detent means 85and a spring 5i, similar to the spring 25, may then be inserted in thedetent chamber 29. Then the post it and the plate 45, to which the postis attached, may be assembled with another plate 52, here shown as ofinsulating material, the bottoms of the feet 48, 55 abutting the plate52. The plates 45, 52 may be held together in any suitable manner, theseplates being here shown as disposed in a channel 58, the sides of whichare provided with fingers 54 clinched over the top of the upper plate45, thereby tightly holding the plates 45, 52 together.

It will be evident that the plate 52 an abutment for the lower end ofthe spring 5|.

The composite base ll formed by the plates 45, 52 and by the channel 53may be fastened to a support in any suitable manner, as for example byproviding apertures 55, 55 extending SEI'VBS 8.5

through the components of the base, through which apertures 55, 55fastening shown) may be disposed.

If desired, spacing means (not shown) may be provided in spaces 51between the plates 45, 52.

In Figure 2 is shown a plug conductor terminal 58, cooperable with theterminal post it, the plug conductor terminal including a generallycylindrical portion 59 provided with an annular furrow 50, the end 5i ofthe plug being frustro-conical. The plug terminal 58 may be fastened toa conductor 52 disposed therein by swedging, as indicated by swedgeindentations 53. When the plug conductor terminal 58 is inserted into,for example, the transverse aperture I1, the frustro-conical end 5|serves to cam the detent means upwardly, further inmeans (not sertingmovement causing the hemispherical portion 28 of the detent means 28 tosnap into the annular furrow 55. It will of course be evident that theplug conductor terminal 58 is cooperable with either one of theapertures l1, II, or both apertures concurrently may receive such plugconductor terminals.

While but one terminal post I 8 has been shown mounted on the base II,it will be apparent that as many terminal posts as may be desired may bemounted on a single base.

Referring to the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6, a terminal post 54is here shown, which, with the exception of the formation of the tonguesformed at the lower end of the post, is similar in all respects to theterminal post III. In the embodiment of Figure 5 the lower end of thepost 54 is provided with a longitudinal bore 55 forming a detent chamber55, similar to the detent chamber 28 of the post ll. Two oppositelydisposed longitudinally extending tongues 51, 58 are formed by cuttingtwo diametrically opposite recesses 55, 18 into opposite faces 1|, 12 onthe post, these recesses 58, 18 extending from the lower end of the postand forming transverse shoulders 18, 14. The recesses 55, 18 are of aradial depth such that diametrically opposite segmental portions of thesurfaces of the bore 55 are removed, leaving diametrically oppositesegmental portions 15, 15 of the surface of the bore 55, forming theradially inner surfaces of the tongues 51, 58, the tongues 51, 58 beingthen, in this instance, of a width less than the diameter of the bore55.

The tongues 51, 58 are adapted to be inserted in an aperture 11 in aplate 18, here shown as of insulating material, corresponding to theplate 45 of Figures 1 through 4. The aperture 11 in this instance issuch as to generally outline the tongues 51, 58 and is therefore ofgenerally rectangular oblong shape, the narrower sides 19 being such asto fit the width of the tongues 51, 58 and the longer sides "beingapproximately the same length as the distance between the radially outerfaces of the tongues 51, 58. In the present instance the proportion ofthe parts is such that the longer opposite sides 85 of the aperture 11are desirably provided with cut-out portions or arcuate recesses 8|conforming generally to the longitudinal bore 55.

In assembling the post 54 with the plate 18, the tongues 51, 58 areinserted through the aperture 11, the shoulders 13, 14 of courselimiting the inserting movement. The tongues 51, 58 are then spread orbent radially outwardly in any suitable manner so as to form feet 82,88, the upper portions of which bear tightly against the lower surfaceof the plate 18. The section shown in Figure 6 is analogous to thesection shown in Figure 4, and shows the appearance of the tongues 51,58 after they have been bent or otherwise spread against the bottom ofthe plate 18 to form the feet 82, 83.

The post 54 of the embodiment of Figures 5 and 6, after it has beenfastened to the plate 18, may of course have detent means 84 and aspring 85, similar to the detent means and spring 5| of the embodimentof Figures 1 through 4, inserted in the detent chamber 55, the parts soassembled being then mounted on a plate (not shown), similar to theplate 52, and the plate 18, and the plate similar to the plate 52, heldtogether by a channel 85.

It will be evident that the post 54 is adapted for the reception of aplug conductor terminal,

aromas such as 58, in either one or both of its conductor" terminalreceiving apertures in a manner already described in connection with thepost III.

In both of the embodiments of my invention herein illustrated the feetformed by the ends of the tongues extend in a general direction awayfrom those faces of the posts through which the plug conductor terminalsare insertable, thereby better holding the posts with respect to theirbases.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thatthe illustrated embodiments of my invention provide new and improvedelectrical connection means, readily and convenientlyconstructed,'assembled, and mounted on a support and accordingly,accomplish at least the principal object of my invention. On the otherhand, it also will be obvious to those skilled in the art that theillustrated embodiments of my invention each may be variously changedand modified, or features thereof, singly or collectively, embodied inother combinations than those illustrated, without departing from thespirit of my invention, or sacrificing all of the advantages thereof,and that accordingly, the disclosure .herein is illustrative only, andmy invention is not limited thereto.

I claim:

1. In combination: a metallic terminal post having a solid body portionprovided with an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal and alsoformed with a longitudinal bore entering said body portion at one end;detent means disposed within said bore and cooperable with said bodyportion aperture; spring means disposed in said bore and operable tourge said detent means to operative position; said body portion at saidend having opposite surfaces formed of a width substantially equal tothe diameter of said longi tudinal bore, forming a plurality of tongues;and a support, having an aperture circumscribing the outer transversemargins of said tongues, and being formed with cut-out portions in themar-.

gins thereof to provide for passage of said detent means and said springmeans; and each tongue having the free end thereof bent to overlie saidsupport to hold said post to said support.

2. In combination: a support, having an aperture, and provided withportions projecting inwardly from the margin of said aperture; aterminal post, provided with an aperture for receiving a conductorterminal, and having a slotted part forming a plurality of tonguesconstructed and arranged to pass through said support aperture, theslots between said tongues fitting the projections on the margin of saidsupport aperture to, prevent relative movement of said post with respectto said support, and the free end of each tongue being bent to overliesaid support to hold said post to said support; and resilient meansextending through said support aperture and cooperable with said postaperture, for yieldably engaging and holding a conductor terminaldisposed in said post aperture.

3. In combination: a support, having an aperture; a terminal post,provided with an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal, and alongitudinal bore entering said post at one end, said post also havingabutment means spaced inwardly from said end, the part of said postmargining said bore being disposed through said support aperture to anextent limited by engagement of said abutment means with one surface ofsaid support, said end of said post being formed to overlie the othersurface of said support to hold said post to said support; an abuttingmember connected to said support; and biasing means interposed between asurface of said abutting member and said post aperture, operable toyieldably engage and hold a conductor terminal disposed in saidaperture.

4. In combination: a support, having an aperture; conductor terminalreceiving means, having anaperture for receiving a conductor terminal,and a recess entering one end of said receiving means and communicatingwith said aperture; said receiving means having a part of reduced sizemargining said recess and forming a shoulder with the remaining part ofsaid receiving means. said reduced part being adapted to pass throughsaid support aperture with said shoulder abutting one surface of saidsupport and the extremity of said part being bent to overlie theopposite surface; a member abutting said opposite surface of saidsupport, said member spanning said extremity and closing oil the openend of the recess in said receiving means; detent means, dis: posed insaid recess, and bearing against said member, said detent meansextending into said receiving means aperture and being operable toengage a conductor terminal disposed in said aperture; and fasteningmeans, constructed and arranged to hold said member assembled with saidsupport.

5. In combination: a support, having an aperture; a terminal post ofpolygonal cross-section, the corners of said post being chamferedinwardly from one end to form shoulders, said post having a boreextending inwardly from said one end, and a transverse borecommunicating with said first bore and adapted to receive a conductorterminal, said end of said post being slotted to form tongues; saidshoulders abutting one surface of said support, and said tonguesextending through said support aperture and having their extremity bentto overlie the opposite surface of said support; and biasing means,disposed in said first bore, for cooperation with a conductor terminalin said transverse bore.

6. In combination: a support, having an aperture; a terminal post,having at least an end portion of polygonal cross-section, at leastcertain of the corners of said portion being chamiered a predetermineddistance inwardly from the 8X? tremity of said portion to formshoulders, said end portion being furcated to form tongue means; saidtongue means extending through said support aperture a distance limitedby abutment of said shoulders with one surface of said support, the freeend of said tongue means being bent to overlie the opposite surface ofsaid support, holding said post against axial movement, and said tonguemeans engaging portions of the defining surface of said supportaperture, holding said post against rotation.

'7. In combination: a support, having an aperture the margin of which isformed with a plurality of spaced-apart recesses; a terminal post, ofpolygonal cross-section, the corners of said post being chamiered apredetermined distance inwardly from one end to form shoulders, said endbeing furcated to form a plurality of tongues spaced-apart a distancecorresponding to the spacing of said recesses; said tongues'extendingthrough respective recesses a distance limited by abutment of saidshoulders with one surface of said support, the extremity of each ofsaid tongues being bent to overlie the opposite surface of said support,holding said post against axial movement, and each of said tonguesengaging margins of respective recesses, holding said post againstrotation.

8. In combination: a support, having an aperture the margins of whichare formed with a plurality of spaced-apart recesses; a terminal post,of polygonal cross-section, having a transverse aperture for receiving aconductor terminal, and a longitudinal aperture extending inwardly fromone end of said post and communicating with said transverse aperture,the corners of said post being chamfered a predetermined distanceinwardly from said one end to form. shoulders, said one end beingfurcated to form a plurality of tongues spaced apart a distancecorresponding to the spacing of said recesses; said tongues extendingthrough respective recesses a distance limited by abutment of saidshoulders with one surface of said support, the extremity of each ofsaid tongues being bent to overlie the opposite surface of said support,holding said post against axial movement, but permitting access to saidlongitudinal aperture from said opposite surface of said support, andeach of said tongues engaging margins of respective recesses, holdingsaid post against rotation; a member, held in position overlying saidopposite surface of said support, closing off access to saidlongitudinal aperture; and biasing means, extending through saidlongitudinal aperture, having one end bearing against said member, andits other end in position to yieldably engage a conductor terminaldisposed in said transverse aperture.

9. In combination: a metallic terminal post having a solid body portionprovided with an aperture for receiving a conductor terminal and alsoformed with a longitudinal recess entering said body portion at one end;detent means disposed within said recess and cooperable with said bodyportion aperture; resilient means disposed in said recess and operableto urge said detent means to operative position; said body portion atsaid end having opposite surfaces fonned of a width substantially equalto the diameter of said longitudinal recess, forming a plurality oftongues; and a support, having an aperture circumscribing the outertransverse margins of said tongues, and being formed with cut-outportions in the margins thereof to provide for passage of said detentmeans and said resilient means; and each tongue having the free endthereof distorted outwardly whereby to hold said post to said support.

10. In combination: a support, having an aperture; projections providedon said support extending inwardly from the margin of said aperture; aterminal post having a body portion provided with an aperture forreceiving a conductor, said body portion having bifurcations-constructedand arranged to pass through said support aperture, the openings betweensaid bifurcations fitting said projections to prevent relative movementof said post with respect to said support, and the free end of eachbifurcation being distorted to overlie said support to hold said post tosaid support; and resilient means extending through said supportaperture and cooperable with said post aperture for yieldably engagingand holding a conductor disposed in said post aperture.

11. In combination: a support, having an aperture, and provided withportions projecting inwardly from the margin of said aperture; aterminal post having a body portion provided with an aperture forreceiving a conductor terminal, said body portion having bifurcationsconstructed and arranged to pass through said support aperture, theopenings between said bifurcations fitting the projections on the marginof said support aperture to prevent relative movement of said post withrespect to said support, and the free end of each bifurcation being bentto overlie said support to hold said post to said support; resilientmeans extending through said support aperture and cooperable with saidpost aperture, and yieldably engaging and holding a conductor terminaldisposed in said post aperture; and means for abutting and holding saidresilient means in place.

12. In combination: a support, having an aperture; a terminal posthaving a body portion pro vided with an aperture for receiving aconductor terminal, and a longitudinal recess entering said body portionat one end, said post also having abutment means spaced inwardly fromsaid end, the. part of said post margining said recess being disposedthrough said support aperture to an ex- I tent limited by engagement ofsaid abutment means with one surface of said support, said end of saidpost being formed to overlie the other surface of said support to holdsaid post to said support; an abutting member connected to said support;biasing means interposed between a surface of said abutting member andsaid post aperture, operable to yieldably engage and hold a conductorterminal disposed in said aperture; and fastening means, constructed andarranged to hold said member in assembly with said support.

HARRY A. DOUGLAS.

